“Our Nixon,” Penny Lane’s home-movie documentary about the 37th president, gets star billing on CNN starting today, giving new meaning to one of the great political slogans, “President Nixon. Now more than ever.”

The film, which consists primarily of Super 8 mm footage shot by senior Nixon aides H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman and Dwight Chapin, is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the most complicated American politicians the country has ever seen. If Nixon hadn’t been born, a future Shakespeare would have had a hard time creating him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odTZDplswDg

The footage, the same kind of nostalgia-generating imagery that one sees in our parents’ and grandparents’ archives, has been under wraps until recently, confiscated during the Watergate investigation. It got a great reception during June’s AFI Docs film festival.

CNN kicks off its airing of the flick at 9 p.m. EDT, with more showings Friday, Aug. 2, Sunday, Aug. 4, Monday, Aug. 5, Saturday, Aug. 10 and Sunday Aug. 11.